Seas the Day: 100 Days at Sea
A few weeks ago marked a huge milestone for the Seas the Day crew: 100 days at sea!
That’s 100 days of rowing, repairs, sunrises, blistering heat, star-studded skies, and sheer determination as Jess and Miriam continue their record-setting journey across the Pacific. They’re now fast approaching the 5,000 miles rowed mark with 3,000 miles to go before reaching Australia.
“Wow, we can’t believe it’s been 100 days at sea already… The time has gone incredibly fast but it also feels like the Pacific has been our home for ages, in a great way.”
– Ship’s Log, 12 August
A breakthrough on the water maker
For weeks, the water maker on board Velocity, affectionately named Salty, has been a source of constant headaches. After more than nine repairs, there’s finally a lasting fix.
“Jim from Mactra Marine figured out we can bypass the accumulator… This means we now have enough rated pipe and don’t have to worry about burst pipes. It’s such a weight off our shoulders!”
– Ship’s Log, 12 August
It’s a huge relief for the crew, who have been juggling hand-pumping and rationing water while keeping up gruelling 15-hour rowing days.
Milestones and moments of magic
After 75 days without spotting another soul, Jess and Miriam finally saw another vessel – a sailboat passing near enough to radio but not quite close enough to wave. A container ship also passed within a mile, a rare reminder they’re not completely alone out there.
“It was a calm and slow day rowing so we managed to get in the water for a chilled swim… Jess had decorated the boat with light sticks and stowed two small bottles of Prosecco for a sunset tipple. What a treat!”
As if that wasn’t enough, the night delivered a full moon and an ethereal moonbow – surreal beauty you only find far from land.
Conditions have been sweltering, with cabin temperatures soaring over 40°C during the day and little respite at night. The lack of breeze makes rowing exhausting and sleep elusive.
“We’ve had a couple of really tough nights where we seem to flop from side to side from passing out. I’ve even fallen asleep on the bucket a few times. After nodding off, it can be disorienting opening your eyes to find the horizon is not where you left it.”
After 100 days on freeze-dried rations, mealtimes are now a battle of willpower. “I’m dying for a slice of toast and a cold beer – but I’d take anything normal!”
How Jess & Miriam are faring
Despite it all, the crew’s spirits remain strong.
They’ve been treated to clear night skies and spectacular meteor showers, with the Perseids peaking in the coming days. Every shift brings dazzling shooting stars, a surreal and beautiful contrast to the hard, sweltering work of rowing all day in equatorial heat.
“It’s been incredibly clear most nights… we’re seeing incredibly bright shooting stars every night shift.”
The wind has dropped recently, which has made rowing feel (in their words) “like going through treacle.” With no breeze to cool them down, it’s been sweaty — and the temptation to dive into the ocean is all too real. They’re swimming every four or five days when they check the hull, which, thankfully, still has very little growth.
They’re also feeling physically well, thanks in part to the personalised nutrition support from Better You, which created custom vitamin sprays tailored to each of their needs. There’s even a running joke now about a poltergeist on board, suspected of wreaking havoc on the electronics and making off with all their chocolate.
“Our hot drinks flask has stopped keeping water hot. There’s no obvious fault… we can only assume it’s the poltergeist again.”
As they draw closer to the Pacific Islands, they’ve had birds stopping over to rest on the boat, a reminder that land is, at last, creeping nearer.
Onward to Australia
With around two months still to row, Jess and Miriam remain unstoppable. Their 8,000-mile journey is raising £50,000 for The Outward Bound Trust, inspiring young people to discover their potential through outdoor adventure – and proving every day what resilience really looks like.
The journey continues
The next 2,000 nautical miles are expected to be challenging, with variable conditions and constant course corrections as they aim for a Brisbane arrival. But if the last 12 weeks have shown us anything, it’s that this team can handle just about anything, with grit, laughter, and a bit of duct tape.
We’ll be cheering them on every mile of the way. Stay tuned for updates as we continue to watch this incredible journey unfold.
